PCT Gear Faves/Disasters

Loved: Joby Tripod – pictures of the wilderness are great, but you, your family, and friends will enjoy pics with you in them, especially as you turn into dirty hiker-trash :)

Good idea: Rain jacket – don't bother carrying one until you need it (probably late Oregon). You need a wind shirt probably, and a warm-ish layer for hiking in, but that should do it.

Bounced: warm gloves, rain pants (replaced with normal pants)

Wish I had: a pack capable of comfortably carrying more weight, in the rare cases that I had to (i.e. 10 days of food in the Sierras, 8L of water in SoCal). My shoulders/SMD Starlite weren't up to the 30+ lb challenge

I'd carry a very light rain jacket in the mountains just by default – it does rain (and snow), and sometimes hard, in SoCal in the spring. It's hard to predict mountains. The year I did it? I used it mostly when washing my clothes. I know where Ryley is coming from, as it felt like dead weight most of the time. But when you need a jacket,really is there any substitute?

Favorites – NeoAir felt pretty good at the end of a long day.

Montbell down inner jacket. Warm happiness at little weight.

Petzl eLIte headlamp – for camp, excellent. For night hiking, not excellent. I ended up carrying a Tikka XP 2 for that.

I liked Eric the Black's map books – small, easy to use. Good information about water sources.

I carried a water filter – it was nice when the water was iffy, but weighed a lot. Might go with chemicals and a homespun filter next time.

2010 thru-hikers had alot of rain and snow in SoCal so you never know. Keep the jacket even if it feels like dead weight most of the time. I know a girl who hiked in my year of 2009 who got hypothermic in SoCal in a rain storm for not having any sort of raingear, or shelter and all her stuff was soaked. Fortunately some fishermen had their truck nearby.

I tested my gear out extensively before hiking the trail in a variety of conditions so I never felt the need to do any real changes on the trail other then dumping, after 2 weeks, some last minute luxaries added that were related to my camcorder . What I started with, I pretty much kept to Canada.

The only thing that I started bouncing was my battery chargers after I figured out that I could live without them for at least 2weeks at a time.

Loved: My MLD superbivy sack, which unlike my tarp which was only used 9 times (3 at the canadian border for snow), got used 70% of nights. It added warmth to my sleeping system, protected from wind, added extra weather protection and kept the mosquitos of Northern Yosemite from getting me. And on the few nights that were too hot for my down quilt, I could sleep in just it.

Neutral: My Montbell ExLight Down Jacket. It made for a very nice pillow and was nice to have around camp when cold (as many pre-dawn mornings were), but it was too hot to actually hike in so I perhaps could have done without it for much of the trail. But it was less then 6oz, so it wasn't like I'd have saved much.

Dumped: My gravity filter made from an Aqua Pro filter. It tended to clog easy, though I could clean it enough to make it work. For the most part, it worked and I was generally happy with it, but the time needed to filter only a liter or two in more abundant water areas made Aqua Mira chemical treatment a much better choice after SoCAL.

@Riley:
I'm looking into tripods/trekking pole mounting options. I may not be taking along a digital camera (tight funds). I need video editing capabilities so I'm going with the newer iTouch. WiFi in towns to update my blog & post videos/photos. I'm a professional photographer, so not taking my good gear is going to kill me! :)

Going with a Patagonia Houdini for my rain jacket, so far in testing it out it's worked awesome. In conjunction with an umbrella when possible (wind) I think I should be ok…

I'll be bouncing the lower half rain gear. Using a cuben Cloud Kilt.

My pack will thankfully be able to handle the larger weights when needed. I didn't go 'UL" on the pack, but it's around 2.5lbs.

@Dirk:
I agree re: light rain jacket.

I have the Petzl eLight, it's money!

Neo Air: I keep hearing a lot about these but have never tried one. I have a ThermaRest Z, and it works fine, but I do like my sleeping comforts at times. :)

My Patagonia Nano Puff (purchased off BPL gear swap, thanks!!) will be my warm happiness. :)

Was going to use Blacks' guides, but have figured Yogis + Wilderness Press guides + Half Mile's maps + Data Book will do me fine. I think Eric has a great idea though.

Haven't figured my filtration system yet. Thank you for your input guys!!

Any other experiences?

Dug

Houdini is a great windshirt and w/ light/intermittent rains the DWR does a good job, for OR/WA rains I think it could be severely lacking (even w/ an umbrella)

it would provide some protection fully wetted out (which it will be in sustained rains) and it does dry fast, so maybe it would work :)

windshirt will wet out in continuos rain…. it should handle continuos drizzle for quite a while, but even then it usually wets out before the end of the hiking day

Favorite: Trail Designs Ti-Tri. One of my few pieces of gear that made it the entire way. With this I didn't have to worry about running out of alcohol for my stove. I could conveniently burn a few twigs to boil water.

Neutral: Underwear. Personal preference I suppose.

Not needed: Novel. I lugged that brick around for 800 miles and only read ~15 pages. I was usually too tired at the end of the day to get into a novel. I ended up packing out magazines and newspapers from town stops.

Wish I had: Camera. On most trips I prefer to not carry one. It detracts me from the wilderness. However, it would have been nice to have pictures to help me remember all the people I met and all the good times had in town and on the trail with them. How quickly I have forgotten.

"Was going to use Blacks' guides, but have figured Yogis + Wilderness Press guides + Half Mile's maps + Data Book will do me fine. I think Eric has a great idea though."

It sure was nice having all that info in one place with Eric the Black's atlas'. You can buy a new PCT atlas set in the gear swap right now at almost 50% off. I can't believe nobody has bought them yet.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=39580

Good:
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I really liked a Montbell thermawrap jacket, about all the warmth layer needed for the whole trip; I added a thermawrap vest for the Sierras but scarcely needed it.

20F WM bag until end of the Sierras then swapping to a WM 32F (both down) bag, worked perfectly.

Poncho as both shelter and raingear for first 700 miles was great, tarptent thereafter (more for bugs than rain on the PCT).

Smartphone as multifunction device, including using this my only camera and an infrequently used GPS, but also journaling device, internet (weather and trail reports).

Actual glacier glasses in the Sierras.

Neutral:
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Solio solar charger — worked well in SoCal to augment charging in town, less well as I moved north, should have stopped carrying when I got into Oregon.

SMC Snow/Sand stake as potty trowel (and backup stake): generally good, but aluminum stake sometimes bent, not as strong as I would like.

Integral Designs Hot Socks for the Sierras: Okay, but I'm not overwhelmed by the warmth to weight ratio relative to just carrying a thick spare pair of wool socks. I'll use Feathered Friends down booties on the CDT next year.

Rocky goretex socks: Overall I liked these at times in the snow, but somewhat mixed; just an extra pair of wool socks might be a better choice for the weight. I'll probably bring these again on the CDT, however.

Bad:
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Chrome dome umbrella: I never found a hands-free approach I liked, plus sometimes wind made this tricky to use, and I use two trekking poles.

I got two platypus "holster" type 1-liter water carriers to put some water weight load on my waist belt for the early part; these turned out to be a PITA, came off whenever I put the pack down, jabbed into me a bit (the carry hook).

Monocular: nice idea, I just almost never used it and so mailed it home.

Mini-crampons: didn't need, not worth carrying. For that matter, in 2008 a lot of people (me included) mailed ice axe home before finishing the Sierras.

Dug, if you can't bring a camera, fair enough. But make sure you bring some way to record your journey. I have taken great pleasure in going back through my pictures and journals. Its amazing how fast you forget the little details of your trip, and a journal you spend 10 minutes on a day is enough to jog those memories.

All it takes is some paper and a golf pencil in a ziplock. If you want to get "fancy" buy a $20 audio recorder.

Focus on the people you meet, things you see, and ideas/experiences you have as you walk. Notes on water sources, mileage, food you want to eat, etc are a lot less interesting later on :)

I've not done the entire PCT, just the lower 500 miles and did another 1200mi trip. Years later I wish I would have carried the extra weight and taken some pictures. Not of the terrain but of the people I met. One of the coolest things about doing a long hike is the people you meet.

LOVED: Frogg Toggs rain gear. Light enough so it never felt like dead weight in the desert, breathable enough for use as a windbreaker, waterproof enough for the PNW and cold rain in the Sierras.

WISHED I HAD: A pack better able to handle weight. I did the whole thing with a Jam which was okay, but with 8 liters of water or a bear can, it wasn't fun. Next time I'd bring something like my Vapor Trail. Marginally heavier, but WAY more comfortable for those somewhat frequent heavy carries.

Some Sealskinz socks for snow in the Sierra. I wore trail runners and my feet were cold and wet more than I would have liked.

Better bug protection for sleeping. This was before I discovered ultralight bivys to use with my tarp.

Better camera.

I hiked the PCT in 1983 with gear from the 70's so all my equipment narrative would be pretty much irrelavent. Having said that, I wish I had taken a camera for the whole trip. I started with an Olympus XA (very cool little rangefinder), but just didn't use it much always wanting to ration my film and sent it home at the beginning of the JMT. With the digital age there is no excuse and you can shoot thousands of pictures.

My favorite piece of gear was a DIY windshirt made of 1.9 oz ripstop nylon – pretty much state of the art for the day.

Looking back from a current state of gear perspective, I would think that none of my gear would work but it did. Even though I am nearly 30 years older I think a new trip would be much more enjoyable, comfortable, and safe.

Thanks guys.

@Ryley: I am planning on bringing an iTouch. 5 megapixel camera, and records video in hi def. Will use an editing app to put together videos for my blog and to send to the folks who are donating to the charitable organization I'm doing the hike for, so I'll definitely be recording the memories, just not with my big Canon. :)

@Brian: How funny, you have something in each of your categories I'm planning on bringing!
— The iTouch (smart phone-ish) for the journaling, wi-fi updates, notes and storing addresses of those I meet, etc.
— Solio charger…how effective/ineffective was it in OR/WA? Was it the trees or lack of good sunlight? How much of a charge were you getting for each day? Enough to keep you (barely) going, or…?
— Chrome Dome umbrella…was thinking this would be good in the desert, even if it was for hiding under for a quick break. Also, for the rain in OR/WA…was the hands-free the biggest issue? How was it in wind?

@John: Your windshirt sounds extremely state-of-the-art for that period of time! Good on you for pushing the envelope! :)

@David: I agree on the "too UL" pack. I'm going with a pack that carries its weight well, up to 40 lbs if necessary, and contains an internal frame. It's under 3 lbs., and I chose that route over uber -light because I need that support for my neck/back (thank you sports injuries). Thank you for affirming that decision!

Dug –

I didn't carry an umbrella, but I did hike with a person who did – her complaint was it was just too windy in Southern California to be that effective. Trust me, there were moments when I was quite jealous of the dang thing, no matter how awkward it seemed to hike with it. But for every few hours were there was no breeze and it was of benefit, there were far more hours and days when the umbrella seemed more like a nuisance, always shifting under than fairly constant winds of the Southern California.

I think finding shade or improvising shade with a ground sheet a far more effective solution. It is hard to say what kind of weather you may encounter in SoCal, it really can vary. But when it got up to or over 100 degrees, there were times when it made more sense to get up before sunrise and hike until 11 a.m. or noon, then take a break until 4, and then hike again till 8 or 9 p.m. We'd try to hike to a good water spot and then find some shade, drink or fill, take nap, eat some food, and then head out after it began to cool down a bit. Others hiked right through it, no problem. The heat beat me down pretty good.

On the charger front, many people carried them, many complained about them, and I think more often than not, they ended up in a bounce box or sent back home. They'd just charge in town. Some would carry these instant charging devices made by Duracell or other companies – I don't know how well they worked.

Finally, gear seems to be a big part of the conversation for a while – say, the first 500 miles or so then nobody really cares anymore – you find what works and what doesn't. By then, you've hit your stride and you can make must about anything work.

The thing that gets kind of lost in the entire trip is time. Tthe first 250 miles really kicked my butt and felt like it took forever to complete. The next 450 or so took a long while, then your reach the Sierras and life couldn't be better. After that, time and miles begin to race along. By the time you reach Oregon, well, you have only 1,000 miles left and you are practically done.

John hiked the PCT when, well, the number of people attempting it probably didn't total more than a few dozen or so. I have a ton of respect for that – meeting people who hiked it in the mid 1970s and early 1980s when there was much heavier gear, fewer resources and no real trail guides – those people did it the hard way. Very cool.

Dirk

Dirk,

It seems to me that when I talk to people who have done the PCT, gear fades into the background after the first 500 miles, like you said. It's definitely a theme. For me, I'm no gear junkie, that's for sure, but I am very interested in what works vs. what doesn't. I'm not setting out with a ton of money stashed away, so I want to get it right the first time. There won't be mid-hike trips to a store to re-buy half my gear :)

THanks for your insight into chargers. Solio seems like the best one of the bunch…and if it's really not effective, I don't want to waste time/money on it. Maybe a charger that converts AA's to energy would work best for me. I'd rather carry a little extra weight if it meant I was guaranteed the charge. The only thing I'll be charging is the iTouch. No phone, no camera, no 5 speed variable intensity massage Therma-Rest sleeping pad. Thanks for your helping to clear that up!

I think I'll forego the umbrella as a sun-shade idea in So Cal. I'm from So Cal, and have been back in those areas, and it can get gusty. I'll still carry one for the other parts for rain. I've never used trekking poles before, so I'm not really used to them or depend on them yet. They're in my gear, but if I need to use the umbrella in a downpour, I'd trade off using just one pole I think.

I totally agee with you about hiking back in the day as opposed to now…my dad was hiking all through the Sierra's on the 60's and 70's, and I was lucky enough to go with him during the 70's part. Maybe someday people will say, "Yeah, those people who used to go out when only 250-300 people a year attempted it…wow. THose are lucky people!" The way we are filling the planet up, overcrowding will hit even the trails someday. How about back in the 1400's? Id LOVE to have been around then!!

Dug
http://thf2.wordpress.com

"Solio charger…how effective/ineffective was it in OR/WA? Was it the trees or lack of good sunlight? How much of a charge were you getting for each day? Enough to keep you (barely) going, or…?"

I found the Solio worth carrying through California; if doing it again I would plan to mail it home from Ashland. It's not like there's a particular place where it's completely useful before and completely useless after, it's just a combination of overhead cover and change in latitude, that — for me at least — it seemed to be most effective in SoCal, plenty useful in the Sierras, still worth carrying in NorCal, and of declining use thereafter. I've seen thru-hikers using them all the way to the Canadian border, however.

I'd also say that I didn't rely exclusively on the solar charger; it just allowed me to be more liberal in the use of my multi-function device on-trail between charges in town. I still felt it was worth it. My phone is my only camera, and my daily journaling device; those are the prime uses, but also to get internet (weather and trial reports) infrequently, to upload the journal while on trail, even once in a while as a phone (! mostly in-town). Also infrequently as a GPS and as a voice recorder. With all of that going on, having more charge coming in during each day was helpful. I tied my charger onto the top of my pack so it was exposed to sun as I walked; if you can't find a comfortable way of doing that, don't carry one.

"Chrome Dome umbrella…was thinking this would be good in the desert, even if it was for hiding under for a quick break. Also, for the rain in OR/WA…was the hands-free the biggest issue? How was it in wind?"

It's somewhat minimal to hide under for a break, though I did exactly that a couple of times. Rain in OR/WA — I had no rain in OR, and my personal preference in WA (I live in WA) is to use a poncho, or maybe now a packa. I find an umbrella to in general be a bit of a PITA, wind or no wind, but again, I use two trekking poles.

I agree that the Chrome Dome is difficult to use hands free due to the wind that SoCAL has. But it did make a noticable temperature difference under it when the temps hit over 100F. Fortunately for me, those hot days were few in the year I hiked as I had cooler then average temperatures for most of the hike so I didn't use it much and sent it home.

Thanks guys. Had some more really good input today from another BPL member (thank you!) and it's been fun….I think piecing together the list and researching and figuring things out is really 1/2 the fun of a hike like this…

Any other experiences?

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